The present invention relates generally to aircraft seating suites and more particularly to passenger suite arrangements that provide unimpeded aisle access for each passenger. The suite arrangements are particularly intended for narrow body, single aisle passenger aircraft, such as, for example, Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft and Airbus A319 and 320 aircraft. This general class of seating is referred to as “compressed business class.” Embodiments of the invention permit enhanced business class seating in these and other narrow body aircraft, increasing passenger comfort while affording the aircraft operator the ability to charge a higher fare for a seat with greater comfort and additional amenities such as a privacy wall, lie-flat capable seat, ottoman, audio/video equipment, table, closet and charging station for portable electronic devices, among other amenities. Suites are most often found on wide-body aircraft where more space is available for accommodating the travel preferences of premium class passengers who can afford to pay higher fares for more space, privacy and conveniences. While the invention is described in relation to a 5-abreast passenger suite arrangement for a single aisle aircraft, similar suite arrangements can be used for wide-body aircraft having two aisles and therefore capable of accommodating a larger number of abreast seats, as described below.
In all seating classes, there is a need to arrange the seats to maximize density without compromising space and privacy. On current wide-body aircraft, passenger seat ingress and egress is accomplished directly from longitudinal aisles that extend through the passenger cabin. As such, each suite is positioned adjacent one of the aisles or in a non-aisle position requiring the seat occupant to ingress and egress through a laterally adjacent inboard aisle suite. This has the necessary effect of interrupting the privacy of the passenger seated in the inboard aisle suite as the outboard passenger passes through the seating area of the inboard aisle suite. Such arrangements also limit the number of suites that can be positioned abreast and may require that all of the suites be positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft or with some facing forward and some aft.